Tarō Hirai, a renowned Japanese author and critic, was born on October 21, 1894, and passed away on July 28, 1965. He is best known by his pseudonym Edogawa Ranpo, which is also romanized as Edogawa Rampo.
Ranpo played a significant role in the development of Japanese mystery fiction, crafting numerous novels that feature the recurring detective hero Kogoro Akechi. In later books, Akechi becomes the leader of the "Boy Detectives Club," a group of young detectives known for their exceptional sleuthing skills.
As an admirer of Western mystery writers, Ranpo was particularly influenced by the works of Edgar Allan Poe. In fact, his pen name, Edogawa Ranpo, is a direct rendering of Poe's name. Additionally, Ranpo was inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whom he attempted to translate into Japanese during his time as a student at Waseda University.
Furthermore, Ranpo's work was also influenced by the Japanese mystery writer Ruikō Kuroiwa, whose writings likely had a profound impact on Ranpo's own literary endeavors.
In summary, Tarō Hirai, better known as Edogawa Ranpo, was a Japanese author and critic who made significant contributions to the development of Japanese mystery fiction. His work was heavily influenced by Western mystery writers, including Edgar Allan Poe, and Japanese writers, such as Ruikō Kuroiwa.
